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May 1st Labor Day in Italy -- Should I buy train tix in advance?

I was online today just trying to estimate the timing on some things -- and couldn't get the Trenord website or app to transact far enough through the process to give me a price.

So I thought, "Would these tickets be sold out?" And then I thought I would check to see if it is a holiday. It is -- Labor Day -- but I think the sites were just glitched, and nothing more, because I was able to find the information I needed by going through the man in seat 61's site. There are definitely seats on the trains left.

But now I am still wondering if I should buy my (single) ticket in advance in case they might sell out over the next month? I am landing at MXP after a long flight from LAX and need to meet up with my family in Verona. I land at 8:35 am. I usually wouldn't buy tickets in advance because I wouldn't know how to estimate how long it would take to reunite with my luggage, get through customs, etc. It is my understanding that I take one train to the city called the Malpensa Express, then board another from Centrale to Verona Porta Nueva.

Wait until your arrival. Per Trenatalia's website, there is a regional train at 25 past every hour. You cannot reserve a seat on regional trains and they cannot sell out as a result. You could also wait until the day of to attempt to buy a ticket for a fast train, but it's only a half hour faster so if they're all booked, the regional train is a fine backup.

If May 1st is in mid-week the trains will be less full than normal as folks are not working and don't have enough time to travel like on a three-day weekend. And as indykier says regional trains don't even makes reservations so having a ticket guarantees no seat but you can always board IME even if the train were full - that train may well start in Milan so will be empty there and if fill up would be later down the track.

Regional trains are so so cheap consider going first class on them - some R trains don't have first class - but if it does it is well worth the different in price - there will probably be oodles of empty seats and more room for luggage, etc.

Buy all tickets at Malpensa's rail desk upon landing and as indyhiker says do not forget to validate the regional ticket before boarding the train by sticking it in some cancelling machine at the entrance to the tracks or along the platform - if you do not you will be considered to be traveling without a valid ticket and subject to a hefty fine - for lots on Italian trains: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Trenord operates the trains around Milan/Lombardy. You can buy the Malpensa aeroporto to Milano Centrale 6 months in advance (once summer schedules are loaded which they aren't at present) and it will be good for a 3 hour departure window from the time you select. You can purchase online or d/ the Trenord app. If you go to the Malpensa train website, it rolls over to Trenord when you start to purchase. You do have to register to purchase. If you purchase this ticket online/app, you do not have to validate before boarding as it will be for a certain date and time window.

If you purchase at the airport the Malpensa/Milan, you will have to validate before boarding.

If your plane happens to be more than a few hours late and you have long lines at security with bags, etc - better just buy that ticket for the exact same price once you have cleared Customs and baggage inspection and hop on the next train- after of course the very simple thing of validating your ticket as others will be doing.